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U.S. Marines conduct drills across Korea to hone warfighting skills

Published: 13 Jan. 2026, 14:19 Updated: 13 Jan. 2026, 16:37

This file photo from the Pentagon's Defense Visual Information Distribution Service shows the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, forward deployed with 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program firing on simulated adversary forces at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, some 45 kilometers north of Seoul, on Dec. 17, 2025. [PENTAGON DEFENSE VISUAL INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION SERVICE]

A U.S. Marine battalion based in Okinawa as part of a temporary deployment program has conducted training across Korea aimed at honing its warfighting skills, the U.S. Marines said.

The drills were conducted from Nov. 29, 2025, to Saturday, ranging from Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, to areas around 32 km south of the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas, the U.S. military said in a release uploaded on its website.

It involved several forward-deployed elements conducting infantry, communications and intelligence training as part of their Unit Deployment Program (UDP).

Established in 2003, the UDP enables U.S. Marines to enhance their individual and unit-level tactical proficiency.

The U.S. Marines also took part in the "Korea Viper" exercise with Korean forces aimed at demonstrating their ability to respond decisively in the region "as a singular, unified force."

By operating alongside Korea's Marines, the U.S. Marines said it was able to "strengthen interoperability and build lasting relationships that enhance collective readiness and regional stability."

Yonhap